A report from Yahoo! featured a two-headed mutant piglet with three eyes born in Iloilo, Philippines, and was nicknamed "Co-Pig" after being born during lockdown because of COVID-19 on May 17. The baffled farmer took the bizarrely-looking piglet because it was nothing like he had seen before.
A Lucky Charm?
The farmer's daughter, Cathy, said that her father was so excited to bring it home because he believed that the piglet would bring good luck to their family during the pandemic. Neighbors have flocked at their home, wanting to get a glimpse of the strange creature.
However, the piglet only lived for four days because it was too weak due to its deformities. The piglet died on the morning of May 21.
Cathy added that despite all the extra care that the owner of the farm was able to give, the piglet only survived less than a week. "We did everything we could to keep it healthy, but it does not seem to get stronger as days pass by," she said.
Polycephaly: A Myth or Reality?
A polycephaly is a rare deformity in animals having two heads; however, animals with this condition usually do not live long. The term is derived from the Greek word 'poly,' which means 'much' and 'kephali' means 'head.' In the field of medical sciences, these conditions are considered congenital cephalic disorders.
Many examples of multi-headed animals have been found in real life and in myths. The most ancient evidence so far is a fossil of a lizard about 120 million years ago, discovered in 2007, proving that these kinds of animals really exist, although they are rare.
Another example was the pig born with two heads in Nong Bua Lamphu, northeastern Thailand, in August. Just like "Co-Pig," its life was only short, living for only about a week. Moreover, a tortoise with two heads was also found in Wellington, South Africa.
Severe deformity on animals can also be caused by environmental factors such as pollution, problems with fetal nutrition, and mutation.
In 2015, a farmer in Yanan township in the city of Nanning, China, was flooded with offers to buy a deformed piglet that appeared to have a human face and male genitalia growing out of its forehead.
Swine Flu
While humans around the world are fighting COVID-19, pigs in the Philippines also have their own epidemic to win, according to Daily Star.
Recently, an outbreak of African swine flu fever has stopped all trade in pork and other pork products in the region. Arthur Defensor Jr., Iloilo's governor, has issued an executive order banning the import of live pigs, hog carcasses, pork meat, and pork by-product.
"Officially in Iloilo, we don't have [a confirmed case of] African Swine Fever. But since we haven't identified the strain, we are taking precaution that it will not enter the province of Iloilo," Defensor said.
Moreover, he said that the region will not allow entry and will ban live hogs and meat pork and processed pork meats from other countries and areas identified to be positive with African Swine Flu by the Department of Agriculture.
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